Market fire kills at least 13 in east Indian city

A fire broke out at an illegal market in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata early Wednesday morning, killing at least 13 people, a top fire official said.

The blaze started before 4 a.m. and was likely caused by a short circuit, West Bengal fire minister Javed Khan said. He said the fire was under control, but toxic gas being released by the blaze was hampering rescue efforts.

Another eight people were hospitalized in critical condition and the death toll was expected to rise, he said.